Our fault

Elsa then spoke looking at everyone. "In his defence we all did basically pear pressure him to go with Crusch so it is basically our fault".

Subaru immediately pointed at Elsa. "See?! Elsa gets it! This was all your idea, not mine!"

Ram smirked. "And yet, you still went along with it, Barusu. That just makes you guilty as well."

"You guys are impossible," Subaru groaned, rubbing his temples. "Why do I even try?"

Emilia crossed her arms. "I still don't get why you didn't just tell people it wasn't a date…"

"I did! But no one listened! The article twisted everything!" Subaru cried.

"Then it seems we must simply deal with the consequences," Roswaal chuckled, enjoying the chaos. "Fufu~ perhaps this will be good for your reputation, Subaru-kun."*

"How is being labeled as Crusch's secret lover good for my reputation?!"

"It makes you look more… mature, perhaps?" Roswaal mused.

"I don't need to look mature! I need to clear this misunderstanding before people start assuming I have a harem!" Subaru panicked.

Suddenly, Elsa let out a small chuckle. "Too late for that."

Subaru froze. "What do you mean, too late?"

"Because another newspaper just came in." Elsa tossed another paper onto the table.

"Subaru Natsuki's Harem?! Rumors of a Love Triangle Between Emilia, Crusch, and a Mysterious Assassin?!"

Subaru felt his soul shatter. "I—WHAT?!"

The room burst into laughter as Subaru slammed his head onto the table. "I swear, the universe is against me…"

Roswaal then laughed. "It is some how the same persons".

Subaru blineked looking at him. "What?".

Roswaal shower the News paper of trh Black Smoke. "First was this headline that makes sound like you are war god because of your strategy agent's the Black Smoke, that had zero casualties". Then is shows a different labe "6th World strongest. "This when you got that metal from the Royal court of Lugunica the same metal only The Sword Saint are getting, which makes sense seeing your strategy agent's the Black Smoke, and then you got through Witch's Edge and it chose you". Then he showed the one today. "And these two, it hasn't even been a year sense you cane too Lugunica, I say 4 month's".

Subaru stared at the newspapers, completely dumbfounded. "Wait… you're telling me that one person wrote all of these?"

Roswaal nodded, his grin widening. "Mhm~ quite the dedicated journalist, wouldn't you say?"

"Dedicated?! More like obsessed!" Subaru groaned. "First, they make me look like some war god, then they put me on a 'Strongest in the World' list, and now they're trying to make my non-existent love life into a drama?!"

"It does seem rather… consistent," Emilia said thoughtfully. "Whoever this is, they must really like writing about you, Subaru."

Beatrice crossed her arms. "Hmph. This news fool is simply causing trouble, I suppose."

"But why would they do this?" Rem asked curiously.

"Maybe they're just messing with me?!" Subaru cried. "Or worse… maybe they actually believe this stuff!"

Ram smirked. "Barusu, you do have a habit of standing out. It's only natural someone would take an interest."

"Interest my ass! They're turning me into some kind of living legend!"

Elsa chuckled. "Would that really be such a bad thing?"

Subaru groaned, grabbing his head. "I just wanted a quiet life…"

Roswaal laughed. "A little tooo late for that, Subaru-kun~"

1 months later

Subaru Streath, as he looked at the completed Manuscripts for both Naruto Volume 3 and Shadow Slave Volume 1. "It is done, now to give these to Regis tomorrow".

As then heard a thud hit his door, before hitting the wall, thank too the Yin and Yang Barrier Koyami put in his room, as Subaru looked at his spirit and opens the door too find Emilia, Rem, Elsa, Meili knock out kinda.

Subaru looked at the 3 of them as he spoke. "You 4 couldn't wait a few more hours of the official release of Naruto Volume 3".

Subaru sighed as he crouched down, shaking his head at the sight of Emilia, Rem, Elsa, and Meili knocked out on the floor. He could already guess what happened—they had probably tried to stay up all night, waiting for the book's release, only to end up exhausted.

Koyomi, his spirit, hovered beside him, looking amused. "You should have expected this, Subaru. Ever since Naruto Volume 2, they've been hooked."

Subaru picked up Emilia first and carried her to the couch, then went back for Rem, Elsa, and Meili, placing them down carefully. He then glanced at the manuscripts in his hands and smirked.

"Well, I guess this means Naruto Volume 3 is going to be another hit," he muttered. "And Shadow Slave... let's see how well people take to something new."

Just as he was about to put the manuscripts away, he heard another knock at the door—this time, a much more controlled and polite one.

"Subaru, are you awake?" It was Beatrice's voice, slightly annoyed as usual.

Subaru chuckled. "Yeah, come in, Beako."

The door opened, and Beatrice stepped inside, looking at the unconscious girls with a sigh. "Honestly, I expected as much. I came to make sure you didn't oversleep, I suppose."

Subaru grinned. "Nah, I'm all good. Just about to get these manuscripts delivered."

Beatrice crossed her arms. "Then do so quickly, in fact. Before more people collapse at your doorstep."

Subaru laughed but quickly gathered his things. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

Subaru used Yang Step to teleport him self to the Silver Quill Publishing Company, as he came out of the shadow he walked as they took him to Regis, as Regis looked at him

Regis looked as he spoke. "Let gess Naruto Volume 3 if finally complete".

Subaru smirked looking at him. "Yup, also Shadow Slave Volume 1 is also finished".

Regis looked as he spoke. "Shadow Slave is probably gonna be fan favourite with the older people, maybe not the knights, but who knows".

Subaru laughed as he spoke. "And yeat other then a handful of people, no body still knows I Rusa, but Anyway, can I get the first 5 copy's of Naruto when they are fresh made".

Regis chuckled as he took the manuscripts from Subaru, flipping through the pages. "Yeah, yeah, I got you. You always want the first fresh copies. Gotta say, though, I don't think your secret identity as 'Rusa' is gonna last forever. The way people obsess over your books, someone's bound to figure it out."

Subaru smirked. "Yeah, maybe. But until then, I get to enjoy the peace."

Regis shook his head with an amused grin. "Sure, sure. I'll have your copies ready by tomorrow. You want them delivered, or are you picking them up?"

Subaru thought for a moment. "I'll pick them up. Last time, Elsa nearly scared your delivery guy half to death."

Regis sighed. "Right. I forgot about that."

Subaru stretched. "Alright then, I'll be back tomorrow. Make sure my books get the best printing, yeah?"

Regis waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here before I make you sign autographs."

Subaru grinned and used Yang Step again, disappearing into the shadows.

The next day, the news hit with the new Volume of Naruto got out and that Author of the Book made another one, as it who shows everyone running, as Running pass everyone was Reinhard as on his solder riding like horse was Felt.

Felt spoke Looking at Reinhard. "You are the definition of Overpowrd, come let's go I heard the first Copy is signed copy".

Reinhard then looked at her as he spoke. "Technically we can get Subaru to sign our Copy".

Felt then looked as he spoke. "I know perks do knowing the write Personally but this for bragging rights".

They came in trh store as Felt Grabbed the book, but so did another Person it was Julius, as he looked at them. "Sorry but me and my sister didn't camp here all night just too miss on the sine copy".

Julius was one of the many people that didn't know Subaru was the Author, as then two other hand grabbed Halibal and Shaule.

Shaule looked at the other two her silver hair flowing in the wind. "Sorry but I have been tradition to be the first one to buy the new Volume, ever sense I was the first person too buy the first Copy of Naruto".

Felt narrowed her eyes as she tightened her grip on the book. "Oh yeah? Well, I need this for bragging rights! You guys already got to camp here all night; that's an unfair advantage!"

Halibel smirked as he adjusted his glasses. "Bragging rights, you say? I suppose that makes sense, but I must insist—this is a battle of speed and determination."

Julius chuckled. "And yet, despite all that, we all seem to have arrived at the exact same time."

Reinhard, who was still holding Felt on his shoulder, spoke calmly. "Perhaps we should let fate decide."

Shaule, still gripping the book, sighed. "Or we can just see if there are more signed copies?"

At that moment, the shopkeeper cleared his throat, looking slightly nervous at the gathered crowd of powerful individuals. "Uh… actually, we only received one signed copy. The rest are just regular first editions."

Silence.

Then, in a blur, all four tried to pull the book at once.

"HEY! LET GO!" Felt shouted.

"I must secure this for my sister!" Julius declared.

"This is my tradition!" Shaule countered.

"Sigh This is unnecessary." Reinhard muttered as he effortlessly held onto the book, stopping the struggle altogether.

Before the situation could escalate further, a new voice joined the fray.

"Oh? Fighting over my book? That's a first."

Everyone froze. Slowly, they turned to see Subaru standing at the entrance, holding a freshly printed copy of Shadow Slave in one hand and a smirk on his face.

Julius didn't notice Subaru saying "My Book" he instead heard figthing over a book. "And what of it".

Subaru then gave them all Singh copy of Naruto. "Here you go".

Everyone was shocked as Reinhard chuckled a bit onces again reminding felt they knew who Rusa really was, as For Julius he things Subaru is a friend of the write that is why he has so many singhed copy, Halibal and Shaule chuckled it it was more a nervous laugh, do them being part of Witch's Hand and that Subaru was the leader of the Witch's Hand they are just looking at the smug face of there leader.

Julius, unaware of the deeper context, took the signed copy and nodded. "You must have quite the connection with the author to get this many signed copies. Regardless, I appreciate it."

Subaru smirked. "You could say that."

Halibel and Shaule, on the other hand, exchanged awkward glances. As members of Witch's Hand, they knew exactly who Subaru was, and watching their own leader hand out books with such a smug expression was almost surreal.

Felt, still sitting on Reinhard's shoulder, flipped through the book before pointing at Subaru. "Oi, you got any signed copies of Shadow Slave too?"

Subaru shrugged. "Maybe."

Shaule's eyes twitched. "You definitely do."

Subaru just grinned. "Who knows?"

Julius, still oblivious, spoke up. "Well, regardless, I appreciate this. But next time, I'll try to be first in line."

Subaru chuckled. "Good luck with that."

As the group dispersed, Reinhard placed a hand on Subaru's shoulder. "You enjoy teasing people a little too much, don't you?"

Subaru smirked. "Gotta have some fun in life, right?"

Meanwhile, Halibel sighed as he whispered to Shaule. "It's weird seeing our leader act like a playful author instead of a force of nature."

Shaule nodded. "Yeah… but I'd rather deal with this side of him than the serious one."

With the release a success, Subaru mentally prepared himself for whatever chaos would come next.

Halibal then looked at Subaru as he spoke. "Hey Subaru let's thank".

Subaru looked as he knew it was fine, as he looked at wolf man. "Sure let's go".

They then walked too an Allie way as Subaru looked at them. "So what is the knews".

Shaule looked as she spoke. "Out scouts have located a strong hold of the Witch Cult".

Halibal then spoke looking at him, as he smoke from his pipe. "Not that big, so not much of a trouble, there was no Sin Archbishop there".

Subaru looked at them as he spoke. "Ok, let's go them".

The tree of them then went too an orphanas, as he knocked on the door, as one of the works opened as they saw the trio and lead then in, as they walked the kids waves at him, as they had seen them multiple times, the workers then bows too Subaru as he pressed a button on the wall, as using earth magic the wall was smoothly spilt opened, as the trio walked into a underground network of a secret base, this was directly under Lugunica and being funded by Subaru Books.

As a few other people where there, as then they saw Subaru with his two right hands as they got and stopped what they are doing.

[Pandora then spoke in his head. "4 month's too make this place and we did".

Echinda spoke in his head. "Technically to everyone in the organisation it was Subaru who made all these on his own,"]

Subaru chuckles mental as he spoke. "Still I couldn't have done this with out of all of your help".

The people working for Subaru were victims of the witch cult as well, or people that want too take done the witch cult but didn't have the means too do it by then self.

Subaru looked around at the people who had gathered, each of them pausing their tasks as he entered. The underground base had come a long way in just four months—once a simple shelter, now a fully functioning intelligence hub dedicated to dismantling the Witch Cult from the shadows.

Halibel exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe. "Alright, let's get to it. The stronghold our scouts found is small, nothing major, but taking it out would send a message."

Shaule crossed her arms. "We need to be careful, though. Even if there's no Sin Archbishop, there's no telling what kind of experiments or hostages they might have."

Subaru nodded. "Understood. Prep a team—small and efficient. We'll hit them before they even realize what's happening."

The gathered members of Witch's Hand murmured among themselves, some stepping forward to volunteer. Subaru took a deep breath, steadying himself. This was no longer just about survival—this was war, fought in the shadows.

As he was about to give further instructions, a familiar voice rang out in his mind.

[Pandora giggled. "Darling~, don't forget, you have another important mission soon. A certain someone is waiting for you."]

Subaru sighed internally. "Let me guess… another hangout?"

[Echidna smirked in his head. "Oh? Is it really a 'hangout' this time?"]

Minerva huffed. ["Focus on the fight first! Then you can deal with your love life later!"]

Subaru mentally chuckled, but his expression remained serious. He looked at Halibel and Shaule. "We'll strike at night. Get everything ready."

They nodded, and the base returned to its usual buzz of activity. As Subaru walked further inside, he couldn't help but think—this world had changed him. He was no longer just some outsider trying to survive.

He was the shadow moving against the Witch Cult.

To be continued

Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones and enjoy, also reader's Voting has been done

First Vote, this from Ch 1 Winner Both Satella and Minerva they are getting back too back R18 Ch

Second Vote, This is for Ch 15, winner is the Fool Pathway, so yeah sorry for does who voted a different one